Apparatus for canning film magazines

ABSTRACT

A film magazine having a leader extending therefrom is taken from an automatic film spooler and inserted into a cylindrical transfer housing with the leader extending outwardly through a slot in the wall of the transfer housing. The magazine is pushed against a piston having a finger extending from the face thereof and located between the wall of the transfer housing and the magazine. The transfer housing and the magazine are moved to a canning station and during movement the piston and finger are rotated to rotate the magazine within the transfer housing and thereby wrap the film leader about the magazine. At the canning station the piston pushes the magazine out of the transfer housing and into a storage can which is then placed on a conveyor and fed to a capping machine.

United States Patent 1 Herford et al.

[54] APPARATUS FOR CANNING FILM MAGAZINES [75] Inventors: John Herford; Richard R. Mosman;

Thomas L. Vieira; Robert G. Wallace, all of Rochester, N.Y.

[73] Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company,

Rochester, N.Y.

[22] Filed: March 5, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 121,329

[52] US. Cl. ..53/ll8, 53/253, 242/71 [51] Int. Cl. ..B65b 63/04 [58] Field of Search ..53/235, 118, 119, 253; 242/71, 242/712, 71.8; 29/430, 208 E [5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,416,287 12/1968 Hawkins-ct a1. ..53/119 X 3,375,635 4/1968 Powell et a1 ..53/1l9 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 704,769 3/1954 Great Britain ..53/119 1 1 Feb. 6, 1973 Primary Examiner-Granville Y. Custer, Jr.

Assistant Examiner-E. F. Desmond Attorney-William T. French, Robert F. Crocker and Spencer L. Blaylock [57] ABSTRACT A film magazine having a leader extending therefrom is taken from an automatic film spooler and inserted into a cylindrical transfer housing with the leader extending outwardly through a slot in the wall of the transfer housing. The magazine is pushed against a piston having a finger extending from the face thereof and located between the wall of the transfer housing and the magazine. The transfer housing and the magazine are moved to a canning station and during movement the piston and finger are rotated to rotate the magazine within the transfer housing and thereby wrap the film leader about the magazine. At the canning station the piston pushes the magazine out of the transfer housing and into a storage can which is then placed on a conveyor and fed to a capping machine.

13 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures SHEET 2 OF 3 PATENTEU 6 I973 PATENTED FEB 6 I975 SHEET 3 OF 3 JOHN HERFORD RICHARD R. MOSMAN TOM L. VIE/RA, ROBERT GWALLACE INVENTORS ATTORNEY APPARATUS FOR CANNING FILM MAGAZINES FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to an apparatus for canning film magazines and more particularly to apparatus for automatically wrapping the film leader which extends from a film magazine about the magazine and then inserting the magazine into a storage can.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the packaging of photographic film, particularly 35mm film, it has been the practice to wind the film onto a plastic spool that is then enclosed in a capped retort with a portion of the film or leader extending therefrom. The spool, film, leader, and retort are commonly referred to as a magazine. The film magazine is light-tight and is used in many cameras. The film may be wound on a spool, the leader formed, and the spool inserted into a retort all on a spooling machine such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,940,232.

The film magazines, even though light-tight, are commonly shipped and sold in light-weight aluminum cans for added protection. The cans are provided with a threaded closure cap to seal the same. In the past, the magazines have been inserted into the cans by hand, which system is, of course, expensive and time consuming. Attempts have been made to machine insert the film magazines into the storage cans; however, they have not been too successful because the film leader which is required for threading of the film in the camera was frequently torn during the canning operation. In some instances, the leader would be torn out of the magazine, thereby rendering the film unuseable. At other times the leader would become folded or bent, thereby making it difficult to insert the film magazine into the can and the film difficult to thread in the camera.

Since the cans and magazines are light-weight, the cans would frequently tip over in the canning apparatus resulting in jam-ups of the apparatus with possible destruction of the magazines or cans with the attendant increases in cost of production. If the leader is severely damaged during canning, thread up of the film is difficult. Such difficulty in threading may result in customer dissatisfaction and possible loss of sales.

In order to eliminate the possibility of damaged or destroyed leaders, it was the practice to visually inspect each can before capping. Visual inspection increased production costs and reduced the speed of canning which reduced the efficiency of the canning operation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a film leader wrapping and canning apparatus for film magazines that avoids the difficulties of the prior art systems of canning film magazines. A further object of this invention is to provide a film magazine canning apparatus that automatically wraps the film leader about the magazine and inserts the magazine into a storage can without damage to the leader. An additional object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for automatically inserting a film magazine into a storage can without tipping over the can.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention are accomplished by inserting a film magazine into an open-ended transfer housing having a slot in the wall thereof with the film leader extending outwardly through the slot. A rotatable piston is located in the transfer housing and the magazine is pushed against the piston. A finger extends from the face of the piston in the direction of the open end. As the piston and finger rotate, the finger rotates the magazine to wrap the leader about the magazine and pull it inside of the transfer housing. The piston and finger are rotated while the transfer housing and film magazine are moved from the magazine inserting station to a canning station. At the canning station an indexing starwheel has placed an open can in position to receive the film magazine when the transfer housing and magazine are moved intovertical alignment with the can. The can is pushed upwardly into a funnel guide. As the transfer housing reaches the funnel guide, the piston and finger are rotated and simultaneously moved in the direction of the can to both rotate and push the magazine into the can. After insertion of the magazine into the can, the can is moved onto an exit conveyor and the apparatus begins another cycle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a portion of the apparatus of this invention illustrating the transfer housing at the inserting station and at the canning station;

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view of the apparatus of this invention with the transfer housing at the canning station;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view, to an enlarged scale, of the magazine carrying transfer housing;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the can indexing apparatus;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of a device for transferring a film magazine from a spooling machine to the inserting station of the apparatus of this invention, and

FIG. 6 is a schematic illustration of the transfer housing, film magazine and film leader.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, reference numeral 10 denotes the frame for supporting the leader wrapping and can filling apparatus of this invention. The filled and capped film or web magazine 12 is transferred from a spooling machine such as that described in the aforementioned US. Patent or other web winding apparatus by a transfer arm 14 (FIG. 5). The transfer arm 14 is moved from the spooling machine (not shown) by suitable mechanism (not shown) to the magazine inserting station 17. A magnet 16 holds the magazine 12 against the face 18 of the transfer arm 14 with the leader 19 lying against the face 18. The magnet 16 holds the magazine during transfer of the magazine 12 from the spooling machine to its position at the inserting station 17 as shown in FIG. 1 which is in alignment with a magazine pusher 20. The magazine pusher 20 is carried by pusher rod 24 which is connected at one end to the magazine pusher 20 and at the opposite end to a hydraulic or pneumatic actuator (not shown). The pusher rod 24 extends through the bearing housing 22 supported by the frame 10. The magazine pusher is moved from its position in FIG. 1 by the pusher rod 24 and actuator to push the film magazine 12 to the right in FIG. 1 and out of contact with the face 18 of the transfer arm 14. The film magazine 12 is then pushed completely into a cylindrical, open-ended, transfer housing 26 or other magazine receiving means with the film leader 19 extending from the film magazine 12 and through an elongated slot 30 in the wall 27 of the housing 26 (FIG. 6). The longitudinal axis of the housing 26 is horizontal when the housing is at the inserting station 17 in alignment with the pusher rod 24. When the magazine 12 is moved to the inserting station by the transfer arm 14, the leader 19 is in alignment with the slot 30.

- The end of the transfer housing 26 opposite the pusher 20 is closed by a rotatable piston 32 having a magazine contacting face 34. One end of the magazine 12 is pushed against the face 34 when the magazine is inserted into the housing. A finger 36 is affixed to the piston 32, as by screws 38, in a position near the periphery of the piston (FIG. 6) and the finger 36 extends from the face 34 in a direction parallel to the axis of the transfer housing 26. The finger 36 is constructed and arranged to lie between the wall 27 of the transfer housing 26 and the film magazine 12. A piston rod 40 extends from the other face 41 of the piston through a hub 42 of a pinion 43. The piston rod 40 is provided with an elongated key-way 44 to receive a key 45 affixed to the bore 46 of the hub 42 by a pair of screws 47 to provide for limited axial but non-rotative movement of the piston rod 40 with respect to the hub 42.

The hub 42 is rotatably supported by a pair of ball bearings 50 carried by a housing support 49 to which the cylindrical transfer housing 26 is affixed as by a set screw 51. The hub 42 is rotated by the pinion 43 as will be explained hereinafter. Rotation of the hub will also rotate the piston rod 40, the piston 32 and the finger 36. When the finger 36 rotates it will rotate the film magazine 12 in the direction of the arrow 39 in FIG. 6 to wrap the film leader 28 about the magazine 12 as will be explained more fully hereinafter.

A compression spring 53 is positioned between the pinion' 43 and a knob 52 on the end of the piston rod 40 and about the piston rod. The spring 53 tends to hold the piston 32 and piston rod 40 in their positions as shown in FIG. 3. The spring 53 returns the piston and piston rod to these positions following movement of the piston and piston rod axially with respect to the transfer housing 26 and hub 42, respectively.

In order to move the transfer housing 26 from the magazine inserting station 17 to the can inserting or canning station 48, the housing support 49 is affixed to an arm 54 extending from a rotatable member 55 which rotates about bearings (not shown) supported by a rotatable shaft 57. The member 55 is connected to a link 58 which is connected by a bolt 60 to a reciprocating rod 61. The rod 61 is reciprocated by a hydraulic, pneumatic or otherwise operable actuator 62. Movement of the rod 61 to the right in FIG. 1 moves the link 58 and rotates the member 55 counterclockwise thereby moving the arm 54, the transfer housing 26 and associated structure from the full line to the dotted line positions in FIG. 1. A stop 59 is affixed to the frame 10 to prevent over-travel of the transfer housing 26 and to position it at the canning station 48.

An elongated and curved guide or rail 63 is positioned adjacent the open end of the transfer housing 26 to prevent the magazine 12 from falling out of the housing 26 during its travel from the inserting station 17 to the canning station 48. The guide 63 extends from the magazine inserting station 17 to the canning station 48, and it may be wide or narrow, the main requirement being that it be of sufficient width to restrain the magazine.

In order to rotate the piston 32 during transfer of the film magazine 12, the pinion 43 is in mesh with a gear sector 64. The gear sector 64 includes a hub portion 65, a plate portion 66, and a toothed radial rim portion 67 which meshes with the teeth of the pinion 32. The radial rim portion 67 extends for approximately threefourths of the circumference of a circle. As the housing is moved from the inserting station 17 to the canning station 48, the pinion, being in contact with the gear sector 64, is rotated as it travels along the rim portion 67.

The gear sector 64 is supported by being keyed or otherwise secured to one end 68 of the rotatable shaft 57. The other end 70 of the shaft 57 is connected by a lever 71 to an air or hydraulic actuator 72. The air actuator 72 moves the lever 71 to rotate the shaft 57 and the gear sector 64 as will be more fully explained hereinafter. The rotary shaft 57 is rotatably supported in bearings (not shown) supported by the frame 10.

In order to move the piston when it is at the canning station, a pusher 74 in vertical alignment with the piston rod 40 is slidingly arranged in a bearing housing 75 affixed to the frame 10. The pusher 74 extends upwardly from and downwardly through the bearing housing 75 and in vertical alignment with the knob 52 and the piston rod 40. The upper end 76 of the pusher 74 is affixed to an actuator plate 77 supported by a guide shaft 80. The guide shaft 80 is vertically movable in a pair of bearing blocks 81 secured to the frame 10 and the guide shaft 80 is parallel to the pusher 74. The actuator plate 77 is moved between its full line position in FIG. 2 to the dotted line position by downward pull exerted on the plate 77 by a link 82. The link 82 is connected at one end 83 to the actuator plate 77 by a pin 84. The end 83 is received in a recess 85 in the actuator plate 77 which recess 85 is of sufficient dimensions to permit the link 82 to pivot about the pin 84. The other end 86 of the link 82 is pivotally connected to a pivot link 87 by a pin 88. The pivot link 87 is affixed to the plate portion 66 of the gear sector 64 as by screws 90.

As can be seen from FIG. 1, rotation of the gear sector 64 in the direction of the'arrow 91 by the shaft 57 will pull the pivot link 87 downwardly which in turn will pull the link 82 and the actuator plate 77 downwardly toward the canning station 48. Downward movement of the actuator plate 77 will move the pusher 74 toward and against the knob 52. Continued movement of the actuator plate will move the pusher 74, the piston rod 40, and the piston 32 to push the magazine out of the transfer housing 26.

In order to control the insertion of the magazine 12 into the transfer housing 26, movement of the housing 26 from the insertion station 17 to the canning station 48, and movement of the pusher 74 to eject the magazine 12, conventional electric circuitry (not shown) is provided. Each of the above operations is controlled in the conventional manner as by microswitches and other components.

When the magazine pusher inserts the magazine 12 into the transfer housing 26 and against the face of the piston 32, the piston 32 and piston rod 40 are moved to the right until the knob 52 trips the microswitch 92. The microswitch 92 signals the controls for the actuator 62 to move the rod 61 to the right in FIG. 1 to rotate the housing 55 and arm 54 to move the transfer housing 26 with the magazine 12 inside thereof from the inserting station 17 to the canning station 48. At the canning station 48 the arm 54 trips a microswitch 92 to signal the controls for the air actuator 72 to move the lever 71 to rotate the shaft 57 to move the gear sector 64 and the actuator plate 77 as explained hereinbefore. Downward movement of the actuator plate 77 will trip a microswitch 94 when the pusher 74 has travelled a sufficient distance to push the piston 32 to eject the film magazine 12 from the housing 26. Signals from the microswitch 94 to the control for the air actuator 72 instruct it to return to its original position. Return of the actuator 72 to this position rotates the gear sector 64 counterclockwise to return the actuator plate 77 and associated structure to their original positions. With the pusher 74 out of contact with the knob 52, the spring 53 will move the piston rod 40 and piston 32 to their original positions. The rod 61 is retracted to its position as shown in FIG; 1' to return the transfer housing 26 to the magazine inserting station 17 for another cycle.

Refer now to FIGS. 2 and 4 wherein the apparatus for feeding light-weight aluminum cans 100 to the canning station 48 is illustrated. The cans 100 with their open ends up are conveyed to a can indexing mechanism 101 on an endless conveyor 102 and between a pair of side rails 103 located a short distance above the upper reach of the conveyor. The cans 100 are pushed onto a circular plate 104 and into the pockets 105 of a pair of star wheels 106 by the next succeeding cans being moved by the conveyor. The star wheels are axially aligned and spaced from each other and the pockets 105 are vertically aligned to provide stable means to index the cans 100 around the plate 104 from the conveyor 102 to the magazine canning station 48. A guard rail 107 is spaced a short distance radially outwardly from the periphery of the star wheels 106 and substantially encircles the star wheels in order that the cans during indexing around the plate 104 will remain in their respective pockets 105.

An indexing plate 108 is axially aligned with the star wheels 106 and is secured to the star wheels by pins 110 in order that the plate and star wheels will move as a unit. The indexing plate 108 is shaped in the form of a rachet having teeth 111 which are constructed and arranged to stepwise index the star wheels 106 and cans 100 around the periphery of the plate 104 from the conveyor 102 to the canning station 48. The indexing plate 108 is engaged by a pawl 112 connected to a lever 113. The lever 113 is affixed to a rod 114 extending from an actuator 115 which actuator reciprocates the rod 114 to move the lever 113 and pawl 112 to index the indexing plate 108 in a counterclockwise direction. After the pawl has moved the indexing plate 108 one step, the rod 114 is returned to its original position to retract the pawl 112 and to await control signals for a second indexing movement.

To aid in the control of the star wheels 106, a brake 116 is provided to resiliently grip the top 109 and bottom 119 of one of the star wheels 106. The brake 116 serves to prevent over-travel of the star wheels, thereby insuring that the cans are moved only the desired distance during each step as they travel around the periphery of the plate 104. A microswitch 117 is located adjacent the star wheels 106 and it is constructed and arranged to provide an indication that a can 100 is in the pocket immediately preceding the canning station 48. The arm 129 of the microswitch extends into the pocket 105 and it is forced outwardly to trip the microswitch 117 by the presence of a can in the pocket.

in order to hold a can 100 in the pocket 105 at the canning station 48, an alignment pawl 118 is located at the canning station 48. The alignment pawl 118 is movable about a pin 121. A spring 122 tends to rotate the pawl 118 toward the pocket 105 at the canning station. When a can is moved during indexing of the star wheels 106, the can pushes against the pawl and rotates it in a clockwise direction against the force of the spring 122. After the can clears the pawl 118, the spring 122 rotates the pawl in the opposite direction and toward the inner portions of the star wheels 106. When another can is brought into position, the resilience of the spring holds the pawl against the can 100 and in place in the pocket 105.

When a can 100 is indexed to the canning station 48, it is in vertical alignment with a funnel guide 123 which is in vertical alignment with the transfer housing 26 when the housing has been moved to the canning station 48. The funnel guide 123 consists of two divergent frusto-conical shaped bore portions 134. Both of which at their narrowest dimension have an ID greater than the OD of the magazines 12 and less than the OD of the cans 100. A vacuum ram 124 is in vertical alignment with and below the funnel guide 23. A plurality of holes 132 are provided on the face 133 of the vacuum ram 124 in order that a can 100 when placed thereon will be held by the vacuum obtained through line 126. After a can 100 has been indexed onto the vacuum ram 124, the ram is moved upwardly by an air or hydraulic actuator 127 until the can is stopped by the lowermost bore portion 134 of the funnel guide 123. v

After thecan 100 has been moved into the funnel guide 123, the cylinder 72 is actuated to move the piston rod 40 downwardly. As the rod is moved, the gear sector 64 is rotating the pinion 43 which in turn rotates the piston 32, the finger, and the film magazine 12 and simultaneously pushes the film magazine out of the transfer housing 26, through the funnel guide 123 and into the can 100. When the piston and finger have returned to their original position, the air cylinder 127 lowers the ram 124 and filled can 100. The cylinder indexes the star wheels another step to move the filled can 100 off of the plate 104 and onto an extension plate 128. A guide aids in aligning the can on the extension plate 128. The filled can 100 will remain on the extension plate 128 until a subsequent can moves it along the plate until it comes into contact with the upper reach 135 of a conveyor 131 aligned with the end of the extension plate. The conveyor 131 conveys the filled cans to subsequent processing equipment such as a leaflet inserter and capping machine.

It can be seen from the foregoing that the apparatus of this invention wraps the film leader about the magazine and then inserts the wrapped magazine into a storage can. lt should be understood that the mechanism for rotating the magazine, transporting the magazine, indexing the empty or filled cans and inserting the magazine into the cans are merely exemplary of the invention, and that other apparatus may be used with equal facility. For example a conveyor may be used in lieu of the star wheels. This invention may also be utilized to wrap a portion of a web about a container for the web.

The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to preferred embodiments thereof, but it will be understood that variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for wrapping an integral leader about a film magazine and inserting the wrapped magazine into a can comprising a transfer housing having an open end and an axially-oriented, elongated slot in the wall thereof, a magazine inserting station, means at said magazine inserting station for inserting said magazine through the open end of said transfer housing into said transfer housing with said leader extending outwardly through said slot, means for rotating said magazine while in said transfer housing to wrap said leader about said magazine, a magazine canning station, means for feeding a can to said magazine canning station, means for transporting said transfer housing with said magazine inside thereof from said magazine inserting station to said magazine canning station, means in conjunction with said magazine canning station to insert said magazine into said can.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said magazine rotating means comprises a rotatable piston which resides at the end of said transfer housing which is opposite said open end, an elongated finger extending from said piston in the direction of said open end of said transfer housing, said finger being adapted to lie between said magazine and the wall of said transfer housing whereby rotation of said piston and finger rotates said magazine to wrap the leader about said magazine.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 including means for rotating said magazine during transportation of said magazine between said magazine inserting station and said magazine canning station.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said last named means simultaneously rotates said magazine during the insertion of said magazine into said can.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said magazine inserting means at said magazine inserting station includes a reciprocable pusher adapted to push said magazine into said housing.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said can feeding means includes at least one star wheel having at least one can receiving pocket in its periphery, means for indexing said star wheel to convey a can in said pocket from a receiving station to said magazine canning station, a funnel shaped guide at said canning station, a reciprocable ram at said canning station adapted to raise and lower a can into and out of said funnel shaped guide, and said insertion means pushing said magazine out of said transfer housing open end through said funnel shaped guide, and into said can.

7. Apparatus according to claim 2 including a piston rod connected to said piston and extending out of said transfer housing, a pinion outside of said housing affixed to said piston rod and, gear means meshed with said pinion to rotate said pinion, said piston rod and said piston during said transportation.

8. Apparatus according to claim 3 including an arcuate guide extending from said magazine inserting station to said magazine canning station to keep said magazine within said transfer housing during said transportation.

9. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said insertion means simultaneously rotates said magazine during the pushing of said magazine from said housing into said can.

10. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said reciprocable ram includes vacuum means to hold said can on said ram.

11. Apparatus according to claim 7 including an actuator linked to said gear, a push rod affixed to said actuator, said push rod being in alignment with said piston rod when said transfer housing and pistonrod are at said magazine canning station, means for rotating said gear to rotate said piston rod and said magazine and to move said push rod axially to push said piston rod and piston toward said can to move said magazine out of said transfer housing and into said can while said magazine is being simultaneously rotated.

12. Apparatus for wrapping an integral leader about a film magazine and inserting the wrapped magazine into a can comprising a transfer housing having an open end and an axially-oriented, elongated slot in the wall thereof, a magazine inserting station, means at said magazine inserting station for inserting said magazine through the open end of said transfer housing into said transfer housing with said leader extending outwardly through said slot, means for rotating said magazine while in said transfer housing to wrap said leader about said magazine, a magazine canning station, means for feeding a can to said magazine canning station, means for transporting said transfer housing with said magazine inside thereof from said magazine inserting station to said magazine canning station, an arcuate guide extending from said magazine insertion station to said magazine canning station to keep said magazine within said transfer housing during said transportation, and means in conjunction with said magazinecanning station to insert said magazine into said can, said insertion means simultaneously rotating said magazine during the insertion of said magazine into said can.

13. Apparatus for wrapping an integral leader about a film magazine and inserting the wrapped magazine into a can comprising a transfer housing having an open end and an axially-oriented, elongated slot in the wall thereof, a magazine inserting station, means at said magazine inserting station for inserting said magazine through the open end of said transfer housing into said transfer housing with said leader extending outwardly through said slot, said said inserting means including a reciprocable pusher adapted to push said magazine into said housing, a rotatable piston which resides at the end of said transfer housing which is opposite said open end, an elongated finger extending from said piston in the direction of said open end of said transfer housing, said finger being adapted to lie between said magazine and the wall of said transfer housing whereby rotation of said piston and finger rotates said magazine to wrap the leader about said magazine, a piston rod connected to said piston and extending out of said transfer housing, a pinion outside of said housing affixed to said piston rod, gear means meshed with said pinion to rotate said pinion, said piston rod, said piston and said finger, a magazine canning station, at least one star wheel having at least one can-receiving pocket in its periphery, means for indexing said star wheel to convey a can in said pocket from a receiving station to said magazine canning station, a funnel-shaped guide at said canning station, a reciprocable ram at said canning station adapted to raise and lower a can into and out of said funnel-shaped guide, means for transporting said transfer housing with said magazine inside thereof from said magazine inserting station to said magazine canning station, an arcuate guide extending from said magazine inserting station to said magazine canning station to keep said magazine within said transfer housing during said transportation, said gear means rotating said pinion during said transportation, and means in conjunction with said magazine canning station to push said magazine out of said transfer housing open end through said funnel-shaped guide and into said can while simultaneously rotating said magazine. 

1. Apparatus for wrapping an integral leader about a film magazine and inserting the wrapped magazine into a can comprising a transfer housing having an open end and an axially-oriented, elongated slot in the wall thereof, a magazine inserting station, means at said magazine inserting station for inserting said magazine through the open end of said transfer housing into said transfer housing with said leader extending outwardly through said slot, means for rotating said magazine while in said transfer housing to wrap said leader about said magazine, a magazine canning station, means for feeding a can to said magazine canning station, means for transporting said transfer housing with said magazine inside thereof from said magazine inserting station to said magazine canning station, means in conjunction with said magazine canning station to insert said magazine into said can.
 1. Apparatus for wrapping an integral leader about a film magazine and inserting the wrapped magazine into a can comprising a transfer housing having an open end and an axially-oriented, elongated slot in the wall thereof, a magazine inserting station, means at said magazine inserting station for inserting said magazine through the open end of said transfer housing into said transfer housing with said leader extending outwardly through said slot, means for rotating said magazine while in said transfer housing to wrap said leader about said magazine, a magazine canning station, means for feeding a can to said magazine canning station, means for transporting said transfer housing with said magazine inside thereof from said magazine inserting station to said magazine canning station, means in conjunction with said magazine canning station to insert said magazine into said can.
 2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said magazine rotating means comprises a rotatable piston which resides at the end of said transfer housing which is opposite said open end, an elongated finger extending from said piston in the direction of said open end of said transfer housing, said finger being adapted to lie between said magazine and the wall of said transfer housing whereby rotation of said piston and finger rotates said magazine to wrap the leader about said magazine.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 1 including means for rotating said magazine during transportation of said magazine between said magazine inserting station and said magazine canning station.
 4. Apparatus aCcording to claim 1 wherein said last named means simultaneously rotates said magazine during the insertion of said magazine into said can.
 5. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said magazine inserting means at said magazine inserting station includes a reciprocable pusher adapted to push said magazine into said housing.
 6. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said can feeding means includes at least one star wheel having at least one can receiving pocket in its periphery, means for indexing said star wheel to convey a can in said pocket from a receiving station to said magazine canning station, a funnel shaped guide at said canning station, a reciprocable ram at said canning station adapted to raise and lower a can into and out of said funnel shaped guide, and said insertion means pushing said magazine out of said transfer housing open end through said funnel shaped guide, and into said can.
 7. Apparatus according to claim 2 including a piston rod connected to said piston and extending out of said transfer housing, a pinion outside of said housing affixed to said piston rod and, gear means meshed with said pinion to rotate said pinion, said piston rod and said piston during said transportation.
 8. Apparatus according to claim 3 including an arcuate guide extending from said magazine inserting station to said magazine canning station to keep said magazine within said transfer housing during said transportation.
 9. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said insertion means simultaneously rotates said magazine during the pushing of said magazine from said housing into said can.
 10. Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said reciprocable ram includes vacuum means to hold said can on said ram.
 11. Apparatus according to claim 7 including an actuator linked to said gear, a push rod affixed to said actuator, said push rod being in alignment with said piston rod when said transfer housing and piston rod are at said magazine canning station, means for rotating said gear to rotate said piston rod and said magazine and to move said push rod axially to push said piston rod and piston toward said can to move said magazine out of said transfer housing and into said can while said magazine is being simultaneously rotated.
 12. Apparatus for wrapping an integral leader about a film magazine and inserting the wrapped magazine into a can comprising a transfer housing having an open end and an axially-oriented, elongated slot in the wall thereof, a magazine inserting station, means at said magazine inserting station for inserting said magazine through the open end of said transfer housing into said transfer housing with said leader extending outwardly through said slot, means for rotating said magazine while in said transfer housing to wrap said leader about said magazine, a magazine canning station, means for feeding a can to said magazine canning station, means for transporting said transfer housing with said magazine inside thereof from said magazine inserting station to said magazine canning station, an arcuate guide extending from said magazine insertion station to said magazine canning station to keep said magazine within said transfer housing during said transportation, and means in conjunction with said magazine canning station to insert said magazine into said can, said insertion means simultaneously rotating said magazine during the insertion of said magazine into said can. 